Checking-In From Paradise

Still here!

Just been in a mood to live this wonderful life rather than write about it.

Oh... and this next week I will have a new adventure!

But I can't tell you about it.

I know. What a tease, right?

Yet on Friday I will explain why I can't tell you and what the new adventure entailed.

But don't get excited or anything, because it's certainly not an exciting adventure. Just something new for me. Something different. And nice. Mostly.

And I'll still write here this week. At least, I think so, unless these longed-for-during-winter days remain too marvelous to write about. :)


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Tom and I finished watching Awake and totally, totally loved it. We've moved on to the series, Continuum which is great, not fantastic, though, and has occasional problematic language. Those crazy Canadians and all.... heh. 

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The photo: Created my tiny patio today. Yeah, it's small, but I like it. It's Debra-sized and took ten minutes to make. What's not to love about that?

So now we have three patios and I'm thinking that's quite enough. :)


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Hoping you're having our amazing sunny, springtime-at-it's-greatest days!

No Internet For a Year!?

Today I hope you will read someone else's writing:

I'm Still Here: Back Online After a Year Without The Internet

Oh. My. Goodness. How marvelous to read something which doesn't blame the Internet for ones own shortsightedness about it. This article affirmed what I've felt and have shared here in my blog at times... 

... namely, the Internet will always be to us what we bring to it. Anything in Life will be rich in meaning or empty, deep or shallow, giving or selfish according to how we, ourselves, treat it, view it, value it.

Anything in Life--yes, even the Internet-- can become an opportunity for greatness, friendship and love. What a remarkable Last Days tool for spreading God's love, kindness and passion!

So far I've not changed my mind about that... and I'm thinking I never will. I hope you'll read Paul Miller's excellent, insightful article. I'm still smiling after reading his conclusions.


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Choices! It's all about our own choices, even how we choose to react to others' bad choices.

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"What I do know is that I can't blame the internet, or any circumstance, for my problems. I have many of the same priorities I had before I left the internet: family, friends, work, learning. And I have no guarantee I'll stick with them when I get back on the internet — I probably won't, to be honest. But at least I'll know that it's not the internet's fault. I'll know who's responsible, and who can fix it."   ... Paul Miller

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Oh! For a peek at Jenna Woginrich's soon-coming book, One Woman Farm, go here. Scroll down to read a few delightful pages. Fun!

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If They're Waiting For You to Fall...

So this morning my introvert buddy, Kim, sent me the above Facebook photo and asked which book last did that to me.

Did I answer, Gone With The Wind? To Kill a Mockingbird? The Purpose-Driven Life?

Uh, no.

I told her it was Thoughts of Home, which is a compilation of essays from House Beautiful Magazine, describing peoples' long ago memories of their homes.

Yeah, really. Kinda odd, huh?

See, I've always been different, especially since age 14 when I told God I wanted to be me, not anyone else, even if that meant being alone. 

And you know? That's made some people in my life, well, bonkers. They can't stand it--or me. Yes, some of them--because they can't control me, because I would not take their advice--have waited for years for me to, well, fall apart. Crash and burn. After all, a person can't really prosper while living on one income, right? Or be content with just one child or no grandchildren? Or rarely use a cell phone, save thousands with coupons, avoid family (hereditary) diseases, stay positive, live joyfully in New York or hear from God? 

Can they?

Sigh. What to do if you have people in your life waiting for you to fall down? Keep standing beside Jesus. He will defend you, lift you up and protect you from negative words spoken against you.

Why? Because He is love and nothing is stronger. Don't give-in to the naysayers--don't wilt, don't change your mind just because they have, don't morph into somebody else. No, just walk in love, beside Love, doing and being what God created you to do and be. 

And then you'll be left standing when the world comes crashing down. You and Jesus... and what better company is there?

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2 Chronicles 20:17 
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.' "

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."   ... Joshua 24:14

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Tom and I finished watching the two seasons at Netflix of Flying Wild Alaska and I can't even describe how much we loved that series. Happy, happy sigh.

Now we're watching Awake and oh! Another fun show. (When people whine that there's nothing good on tv anymore, I always think, "Obviously, you just haven't searched hard enough.")  :) Tom and I keep finding tons of the most interesting (and morally decent) programs we've ever seen!

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It's a brand new month and there are new coupons out there everywhere! Check your favorite local bloggers and coupon sites for the latest deals.

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And if you'd like, I'd love to hear your answer to, 'Which book last gave you a book hangover?' in my comment box.